Five Ice-Age Mammoths Found in the Cotswolds
Archaeologists and paleontologists have unearthed five 200,000-year-old, ice-age mammoths—two adults, two juveniles and one infant—in the Cotswolds region of England. These rare, incredibly preserved remains were found at a site that scientists agree is rich with history; tools from Neanderthals, elks that are twice the size of their contemporary descendants and more fossils have been found in the area. “This is one of the most important discoveries in British paleontology,” says evolutionary biologist Professor Ben Garrod. “We have evidence of what the landscape was like. We know what plants were growing there. The little things are really revealing the context of these big, iconic giants. It’s a glimpse back in time. That’s incredibly important in terms of us understanding how climate change especially impacts environments.” The discoveries are so exceptional that they will be featured in an upcoming BBC One documentary, Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard (out 30 December), in which Garrod and Sir David Attenborough explore the implications of this enlightening excavation. Learn more about it at The Guardian.
Image courtesy of Julian Schwanitz/BBC/Windfall Films
Via theguardian.com link opens in a new window
